Omaha daily bee., 1887-07-13
TROUBLED WITH TAXATION.
A Move Started For Securing More
Favorable Assessments.
GREAT BIG FIRE SCARE.
j. Dlckey's Safe Robbed.-A Bank
Messenger rTouched.-Lo
At The Electric Tower
Personal Mention.
City Taxation.

lhe legislation OF this state mas Deen
rather unfavorable to the growth of
cities. The mayor of Des Moines in his
last annual points to some of the causes
of complaint and suggests meeting
of the mayors and representa-
tive officials of the various cities to con-
slider these matters. Alderman Wells
made a report in the last council meeting
recommending that Mayor Gronewg be
instructed to use his best endeavors to
have plan of action inaugurated which
would result in the relief of these COM
planning cities. The chief causes of com.
plant grow out of two limitations now
IN the state laws, and which hamper the
growth of cities. One of the limitations
is that which confines the tax for general
fund purposes to ten mills. The other is
the five per cent limit OF city indebted
ness. The troubles would not be so great
if property was assessed at its full value
however difficult that might be of de-
termination-but property throughout
the state is not assessed for more than
40 per cent of its real valuation. This
cuts down the amount OF money which
the city can raise for its general ex:
penses, and makes it insufficient. The
same is true concerning the limit of mu-
nicipal Indebtedness. THIS city-and
others are in the same condition-deslre
to make improvements, such as paving.
sewerage, ETC., improvements which are
largely paid for by private assessments.
The city has to pay for intersections and
issues bonds for the work, so that the
payments are carried over a period of
years. The present limit of indebted
ness was fixed in the years gone by as a
protection for the citizen against any
officials running the city in too great
debt. 1t was never thought
at that time that citizens themselves
would be so anxious to make these inn
provements as to be willing to assess
themselves for the expense. That time
has come, and yet the citizens, eager to
have the streets paved in front of their
property. and willing to pay for the i'm
provement, arc prevented from thus tax
ing themselves because the cost of the in.
tersectlons and the issuance of bonds to
secure the contractors, may be counted
as an excess of the constitutional indebt-
edness. The present bampering provis-
ions were made when it was expected
that property would be assessed for its
full valuation, and long before
the present system of private
went into effect There is demand for
change of Legislation in this regard, so
that cities may 60 along with their i'm
provementS. Such is the outline of the
report made by Alderman Wells, and
Mayor Groneweg will act in conjunction
with others to bring about the desired
changes. A meeting will be held of the
representatives of these cities, and plan
adopted for securing the desired relief
if possible The general push will be
towards securing more self governing
powers for the cities, so that they may
legslnte for themselves moro freely in
voting taxes upon themselves, and in
expanding their own money for improve.
ments.
At present the only way to get any sort
of relief is to increase the assessed valua-
tons. The difficulty about that mode is
that it causes great injustice to prop
erty owners in the cities If their basis
| of assessment is higher than that adopted
by the state at large, they are obliged to
pay more than their share of other taxes.
| IN order to pay little more money into
| the city treasury. AS shown by the rec
ent increased assessment here, tax
payer in this city pays 50 or "a into the
| state and county funds, which do not
need it, and allows himself to be taxed
in order to have the city get the benefit
of a dollars extra tax. The relief
cannot be gained in any such
way. The cities are willing to pay
their share of state and county taxes. but
they want the privilege of taxing them.
selves for city improvements more than
what the state allows them to do. The
state should not object to the citizens OF
Council Bluffs taxing themselves for mu
nlcipal improvements, but at presen,
this cannot be done very well.
The state board of equalization is now
in session at Des Moines, and Mayor
Groneweg has gone there. There will bt
an attempt made to have property
throughout the state assessed hereafter
at its real value, instead of being assessed
on a basis of from go to 40 per cent.